Automatic dumper for carrier systems



Nov. 11, 1941. L. (1. SMITH 2,262,727

AUTOMATIC DUMPER FOR CARRIER SYSTEMS V Fi1 ed Nov. 2, 1940 R *E /2 I v 47- AA/EY Patented Nov. 11, 1941 AUTOMATIC DU1VIPER FOR CARRIER SYSTEMS Lester C. Smith, West Hartford, Conn, assignor to The Spencer Turbine Company, West Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 2, 1940, Serial No. 364,074

6 Claims.

My invention relates to the class of apparatus which are employed in connection with pneumatic conveyers to receive and discharge in a regulated manner material delivered thereto by the conveyor, and an object of my invention, among others, is the production of an apparatus of this kind of simple construction that shall operate in a most efficient manner.

One form of an apparatus embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which-- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved apparatus. I

Figure 2 is a similar view on enlarged scale of the lower portion of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation of that part of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 55' in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the connection between the cam plate and vacum equalizing valve. 1

It is common practice at the present time to remove material from one place and deposit it in another by the use of pneumatic apparatus and my improved structure as illustrated and described herein enables this operation to be performed in an efficient manner by permitting the pneumatic apparatus to freely function to its capacity by causing deposit of the material in a receiver from which it is periodically, automatically discharged in regulated quantities in a manner to keep pace with the flow to the receiver.

.111 the accompanying drawing the numeral I0 denotes a case or shell constituting a receiver having an inlet H to which a conveying tube (not shown) is attached for delivery of material into the shell, said shell also having an outlet l2 connected with any suitable vacuum producing apparatus operated in a well known manner to create a partial vacuum within the shell It] as will be readily understood, The interior of the shell may be equipped in any suitable manner for separation of the conveyed material from the air, this constituting no part of my present invention and a description and. showing thereof being omitted herein. The shell may be supported in any suitable manner, as upon legs l3 and its lower end is preferably tapered to form a hopper l4 into which the material drops from the shell It.

An interior collector I5 is located at the outlet from the hopper I4 to receive material flowing therefrom, this collector having an inclined bottom IB and a trap door I! opening into a chamber in an anterior collector l8 into which the interior collector projects. The edge of the openingfrom the interior collector I5 is inclined from the vertical, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, so that matter accumulated within the chamber in said collector will be freely discharged therefrom into the anterior collector I8 when the door I! is'opened. This door is secured to a shaft l9 mounted in suitably formed bearings in the walls of the anterior collector, said shaft extending through one of said walls and having a clip 20 secured thereto near its outer endwith an actuating rod 2| depending therefrom and an actuating roller 22 mounted in the lower end of said rod as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing.

The anterior collector l8 has a trap door 23 arranged to close an outlet opening at its front side and the edges of the openings for both of the doors I! and 23 are suitably packed to prevent entrance of air into the chambers under the influence of vacuum within the collectors. The door 23 is secured to a shaft 24 mounted in bearings suitably formed in the walls of the anterior collector, one end of the shaft extending through and projecting outside of one wall of the collector and having a block 25 secured to said projecting end and having an actuating finger 26 extending therefrom. A cam plate 21 is freely'rotatably mounted on the shaft 24 and has a pin 28 projecting laterally from its lower end into position to be moved into contact with the actuating finger 26 when the plate 21 is rotated in a manner to be presently described. A collar 29 is secured to the shaft 24 and a rod 30' supporting a weight 3| is secured to and extends from the collar as shown in Figure 3 of the draw- An actuating rod 32 is pivotally attached to the cam plate 21- and extends to an actuating disc 33 secured tothe end of a spindle 34 driven by a motor 35 supported on the frame of the apparatus and connected with the vacuum creating power to be driven simultaneously therewith. The disc 33 has a slot 34 extending, in the construction herein shown, not quite half way around the disc somewhat near its edge, but not necessarily concentric therewith, and the rod 32 has a pin 36 riding freely in said slot.

A valve actuating clip 31 is secured on a supporting pin projectin'g'from the side of the cam plate 21 and a valve actuating chain 38 is atchamber in the shell it is shown located in Figure 1.

slot now picks up the pin' 36-and draws the the anterior collector l8 thereby keeping said I chambers in constant communication and acting to equalize the vacuum in said chambers by 'eX- tending the vacuum from the, shell I!) into the anterior collector.

, The operation of the apparatus is as follows: i Assuming the parts of the mechanism to be in the positions shown in Figure I the trap; door 1''! is open for the discharge of contents of :the

interior chamber into the chamber in the'an terior collector, the valve-'40 being closed and vacuum existing in both the anterior and jute-'- rior collectors andacting as an aid in keeping the door 23 fclosedin addition to the Weight 3| and (while matter is flowing from the.- interior collector. 'The actuating disc 33 is continuously rotatedin the direction denoted by the arrow in Figure 1. As the disc rotatesthe parts remain in'the position shown while the pin 36 rides along the slot 34, to the end opposite that in which actuating rod. 32 along, moving the cam plate :21 to the, left from the position shownin Figure 1. I

The roller 22 resting against the edge of the disc is moved, thereby to the left and the rod 2i ;is similarly moved, thereby closing the trap door ll. When this door closes the vacuumcreated: by the: tube 43 acts to maintain a balance of the vacuum in the interior and anterior collectors and as thecam plate'continues its movement the roller 22 rides upon theupper edge of the cam plate and acts to temporarily keep the door l'l closed. .As the 'cam plate approachesther :end or its path of movement the pin 28 contacts the actuating finger, 26, but just before this contact, slack inthe chain 38 is taken up, and the chain having been drawn taut bythe movement .of the cam plate the valve 49 is opened, and

the. opening inthe tube 42 being larger than the. opening in the vacuum creating tube 43, the vacuum in thechamber in the anterior'collector -is destroyedand the pin 28' acting against the finger :Ziiropens the trap door 23 against the re- 'sistance of ther'weight3l andthe matter inthe anterior. chamber is 'permittedto flow :therefrom while the interior chamber is receiving material from the hopper l4. i

The cam plate-:27 having been continuously moving during these operations the slot. 34

This endof the reaches the position shown in Figure- 2 and:the

end of the slot at theleft'r having reached apoint where it no longer exercises-force upon the rod 3 the pin 36 .-is free to-move-along the-slot to the rightunder the influence of the weight 3|,

thereby-returning the cam plate Z'l to the position shown, permitting'the door I! to open under its weight and the door. 23 to close under the .influence of the weight 3| the parts being in position forrep etition ofthe cycleof movement just ex lained. l. V

In accordance with the provisions .of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of myinvention, together withthe device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim: 1. An automatic dumper tacle having a discharge outlet at its-lower end, a receiving chamberv into which said outlet.

opens, said chamber having a discharge opening I at its lower end, a trap door hingedly mounted to close said discharge opening, a rotatably mounted cam plate, an operative connection between said trap door and cam plate for opera-' tion of said door by said plate, a discharge chamber having a dumping opening at its lower end and; positioned to-receive the contents of said receiving chamber, a swinging door to close said dumping opening, an operative connection between saidswinging. door and said cam plate foroperation of said door, avalve for opening said discharge chamber to the atmosphere, an

operativec-onnection between saidcamplate and said valve, a continuously open tubular connec tion between said receptacle and said discharge chamber, and means operatively connected with said cam plate for the operation thereof.

2. Am automatic dumper comprising a receptacle having a discharge. outlet at its lower end, a receiving chamber into which said. outlet opens and having at discharge openingat' its lower end, a swinging trap .door to close said discharge opening, a rotatably mounted cam plate, an operative connection between said trap door and cam plate for operationof said door,

by said plate, a discharge chamber. positioned to receive the contents of said receiving chamber and havinga dumping opening at its lower end, a

swinging door to close said dumping opening, a

motor, an actuating disc, operatively driven by said motor and having a slot therein, a connect-. ing rod pivotally attached at one end to said cam plate, and a pinat the opposite end of said rod extending into said slot and movable at times therein independently of said disc.

. 3. An automatic dumper comprising a receptacle having a discharge outlet at its lower end, a receiving chamber into which .said outlet opens and havinga discharge outlet. at its lower end, a swinging door to close said discharge outlet, a

rotatably mounted cam plate, an operative connection between said cam plate and trap door for operation of said door by'said cam plate, a discharge chamber positioned toreceive the" contents of said receiving chamber and havingga dumping opening at its lower end, a swinging door to .close'said opening, a rotatably mounted shaft -to,. which said last mentioned swinging door is secured, said cam plate being mounted on saidfshaft for partial rotation independently 7 thereof, means to rotate said-shaft in a direc-- ,tion toclose said last mentioned swinging door, a. motor, an actuating disc operatively driven by .said IliQtOr and having a slot therein, a connecting rod pivotally attached at one end to said cam plate, and apin at the opposite end of said .rod extending into said slot and movable at times therein independently of said disc under the force transmitted by said means for rotating said shaft to close said last mentioned swinging door.

4. An. automatic du'mper comprising a recep- .tacle,having a discharge outlet at'its lower end,

, a receiving chamber into which said outlet opens,

said chamber having'a discharge openingat' its comprising a receplower end, a trap door hingedly mounted to close said discharge opening, a discharge chamber having a dumping opening at its lower end and positioned to receive the contents of said receiving chamber, a swinging door to close said dumping opening, an operative connection between said swinging door and said trap door for operation of the latter, a continuously open tubular connection between said receptacle and said discharge chamber, and means operatively connected with said swinging door for the operation thereof.

5. An automatic dumper comprising a receptacle having a discharge outlet at its lower end, a receiving chamber into which said outlet opens, said chamber having a discharge opening at its lower end, a trap door hingedly mounted to close said discharge opening, a discharge chamber having a dumping opening at its lower end and positioned to receive the contents of said receiving chamber, a swinging door to close said dumping opening, an operative connection between said swinging door and said trap door for operation of the latter by the former, a valve for opening said discharge chamber to the atmosphere, an operative connection between said swinging door and said valve, a continuously open tubular connection between said receptacle and said discharge chamber, and means operatively connected with said swinging door for operation of the latter.

6. An automatic dumper comprising a receptacle having a discharge outlet at its lower end, a receiving chamber into which said outlet opens, said chamber having a discharge opening at its lower end, a swinging trap door to close said discharge opening, a discharge chamber positioned to receive the contents of said receiving chamber and having a dumping opening at its lower end, a swinging door to close said dumping opening, an operative connection between said swinging door and said trap door for operation of the latter by the former, a motor, an actuating disk operatively driven by said motor and having a slot therein, a connecting rod operatively connected at one end with said swinging door for the dumping opening, and a pin at the opposite end of said rod extending into said slot and movable at times therein independently of said disk.

LESTER C. SMITH. 

